Introducing Sacred Smudge Bowls
It’s always good fun to find new product lines in clay. The options are endless in this wonderful medium and we are only limited by our imaginations. Sometimes we rely on others to offer inspiration and new ideas. That is how Sacred Smudge Bowls entered my life.
My daughter, who lives in Vancouver, was in a New Age Store one day looking for a sacred smudge bowl and when she came home she texted me to say she thought I could make these little gems much better than those that she had seen on the market.
Well, that was enough to get me going. I wasn’t unfamiliar with sacred smudge bowls. I have participated in cleansing ceremonies many times. Often when folks move to a new space or buy a new home, they want to clear out old energy from previous residents. Similarly, when a relationship breaks up or an old roommate leaves the nest, smudging is a good way to start anew.
Smudging goes back in Native American traditions thousands of years. Known as the Sacred Smoke Bowl Blessing, it is a powerful cleansing technique that calls upon the spirits of sacred plants to drive away negative energy and restore balance to an individual, group, space or all three. This simple, yet powerful practise is a bit like taking a spiritual shower. Effects include banishing stress, uplifting energy levels and rejuvenating your space and body into a state of peace, balance and happiness.
The practise is quite easy. Simply light the smudge stick bundle until it is burning well, then blow out the flame. The stick will smolder and smoke for quite a long time. Then, holding the stick over the bowl to catch any ashes, use the feather to disperse the smoke into all nooks and crannies of your home ending up at doors and windows to push the old energy away. If your intention is to clear your own energy, direct the smoke over your head, around your shoulders and all the way down your body. Once you feel your space is clear and clean, extinguish the smudge stick in the bowl.
When I designed my smudge bowls, I wanted to address the functionality of housing the tools required for the ritual – that is, a smudge stick and feather.
My sacred smudge bowls all have an indent on the rim to rest the stick as well as a puncture hole to hold the feather, which is used to fan the smoke in the appropriate direction.
I wanted to be sure that I resourced high quality materials to incorporate into my Sacred Smudge Bowl kits. Fortunately, a friend of mine knew all about DaruBrahma Farms, situated in the high mountain valley in Ashcroft BC. This group specializes in bundling white sage, cedar and other plants into lovely smudge sticks of various sizes and colour. The Daru Brahma folks are a delight to deal with, so I have a reliable source to keep me stocked.
I had a friend who was volunteering at a tropical bird rescue center and she started me out with some lovely and exotic feathers, but the supply was limited because the center has since shut down. Another friend put me in touch with a Turkey Farmer on Saltspring Island. She has an abundance of beautiful striped feathers that now adorn my bowls.
My Sacred Smudge bowls come in three sizes. The small ones are ideal for a small apartment or home for occasional use – usually with the changes of the seasons or after an illness occurs in the home.
The medium size is great for those who have larger homes for the same purposes, or who want to share sacred cleansing circles and meetings.
The large size is ideal for places like Yoga Studios and Meditation Centers where daily or weekly use is likely to be needed.
I hope you will take the time to ensure your environment is kept clean, healthy and positive through participating in this time proven sacred ritual. My smudge kits are available at my home studio, Turning Point Arts in Saltair, or other local outlets that carry my work.
I hope you will enjoy peace, balance and happiness with your Sacred Smudge Bowl kits, lovingly made at Pottery by Peggy.
Maybe my next inspiration will come from a suggestion by YOU!
2 Comments
Maggie T
March 10, 2017Great new idea, thanks for the info, I was not sure how to use a smudge bowl. I love the idea of cleansing a new home.
peggy
March 10, 2017Glad this helps you Maggie! Thanks for your comment!